Read Friday I'm in Love Online
Authors: Mari Carr
Friday I'm in Love (17 page)
He pulled her into his embrace, wondered how he’d lived his whole life never realizing this kind of intense love existed. He ran his fingers through her hair, tugged it gently until she looked at him. “I love you,” he said.
She grinned. “I was wondering…” She leaned closer, whispering the next part, letting him know she was aware of their audience too. “Do you think Keira would take the lunch shift? I was hoping we could maybe…” She let him fill in the blanks as she gave him a wickedly sexy glance.
He pulled her closer, holding her head to his chest. “Hey, Keira. Think you can man the store today—both shifts? Nat can’t keep her hands off me. It’s gonna take me a little while to— Oof!” Natalie punched him in the stomach. “Hey, babydoll, that hurt.”
“Oh, I’m gonna show you hurt in a minute.”
Pop cut off their argument with a laugh. “You two get out of here. We can manage this place just fine. And Natalie…”
She turned to look at his pop.
“That’s a hell of a catch you made there.”
She laughed. “Think I should kiss him? Mark him as mine?”
Pop grinned. ”I think you should definitely do that. Welcome home.”
She smiled, tears gathering in her eyes as she reached out to hug Pop. “Thank you,”
she whispered.
“Now,” Pop said, “go on. Do something special, something fun. It’s times like these when life’s meant to be celebrated.”
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Mari Carr
Natalie stood beside Sky, listening as he and Teagan said their wedding vows. They were getting married in the pub, since that was where they met. Besides the family, there was only a small crowd of fifty close friends. They’d closed the pub shortly before Christmas so they could prepare for the ceremony. It was only a few hours before midnight—a new year.
Natalie felt Ewan’s hand against her back and she smiled, glancing over her shoulder at him. It had taken her nearly two months of constant cross-country travel to get her ducks in a row, but by the beginning of December she’d managed to make her move to the east coast official and permanent. She and Ewan had decided to move in together. She’d suggested they were moving too fast, but Ewan pointed out he’d been patiently wooing her for three years, which, to his estimation, was too slow.
The past few weeks had been an exciting time, unpacking, watching their home begin to take shape as her things meshed with his. She still got a thrill out of seeing her laundry mixed up with his in the basket, their toothbrushes hanging side by side. She’d become as obnoxiously romantic as the couple standing in front of her—and she was loving every minute of it.
Natalie watched as her business partner, Christine, snapped pictures of the ceremony. Natalie figured the paparazzi would work their asses off to try to steal a few, but she knew these photos would never be shared with anyone but trusted family and friends. The press would probably get a kick out of discovering Sky had chosen a woman to stand up as his “best man”.
Ewan, Sean, Tris and Killian all stood behind her as groomsmen, while Keira as matron of honor held the flower girl, Catie, in her arms. Riley, as maid of honor, stood next to Tris and Killian’s ladies, Lane and Lily. The ceremony was truly a family affair 132
Friday I’m in Love
as Pop sat in the front row, beaming, his smile stretching from ear to ear. Beside him they’d left an empty chair, save for the white rose lying there—Sunday’s seat.
Applause filled the pub as the minister pronounced them man and wife. Ewan snuck an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Do you think it would be scandalous for a groomsman to kiss the best man?”
She turned in his arms. “Terribly scandalous,” she said as she offered her lips. They kissed until Sean elbowed Ewan. “Knock it off, you two. It’s not your turn.”
Natalie laughed and turned back to hug Sky then Teagan. Soon the music started and the champagne began flowing. Just before midnight she sat down, removing her shoes to rub her aching feet. She’d danced with every male member of the Collins family, including Aaron, Sean’s best friend Chad, and Justin, the third in Killian and Lily’s unconventional trio. She was exhausted, exhilarated and happy.
She glanced across the room where Ewan and Tris were talking to Aaron. Riley had clearly over-imbibed. She watched Aaron lead Riley toward the stairs to the apartment.
Ewan joined her. “Tired?” he asked.
She nodded. “Riley okay?”
“She always takes things right to the edge. Tonight I think she went overboard.
Aaron’s gonna take her upstairs, get her bed. If I know him, he’ll stick around in case she gets sick. She put down way too much champagne. I worry about her sometimes.”
Natalie remembered Teagan making the same comment. “She’s lucky to have Aaron. He’s a good friend.”
“Amen to that. I don’t know where she’d be without his steadying influence in her life. As bad as she is now, I can’t begin to fathom what she’d be like without Aaron.”
Natalie moved closer, surprised when Ewan pulled her off her chair and into his lap. “Ewan.”
“It’s almost midnight. I want to make sure I’ve staked my claim. You’re going to be kissing me when that ball drops.”
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“You know? I don’t think I’ve ever kissed anyone at midnight.”
He grinned. “I like being your first…and your last.”
The crowd started the countdown and Natalie felt a rush of excitement.
“Ten, nine, eight…!”
“I love you, hotshot,” she whispered as the count continued.
“Five, four, three…!”
“I love you too, babydoll.”
“Two, one! Happy New Year!”
Ewan pulled her face to his and she kissed him. She saw the flash of a camera out of the corner of her eye.
Another picture, she thought with glee. Another memory. Life was very, very good.
The End
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About the Author
Some people fall apart on their 30th birthday, others on their 40th. For Mari Carr, 34
was the year that took her down. After she spent the day crying and saying, “I haven’t done anything I thought I would,” her husband finally asked what was left undone.
Her answer was simple—she hadn’t written a book or decorated her house. “So do it,”
he said.
Five years later, the house is sparkling with fresh paint and new furniture and her computer is jammed full of stories—novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends. The lesson: It’s never too late to achieve a goal or two!
High school librarian and English teacher by day and mother of two busy teenagers, Mari Carr finds time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3
a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep and the house is quiet.
With the publication of her first book, her latest goal—publishing before 40—has been achieved with a couple of years to spare. Phew!
Mari welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her
author bio page at
www.ellorascave.com.
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